


Only Human

by Hobgoblin51



Category: Warhammer 40.000
Genre: Everyone's Stable...Ish, F/M, NobleBright AU Where The Imperium Won, None of the Legions or Primarchs Fell to Chaos, SFW-Alphabet, Space Marines Adjusting to Civilian Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hobgoblin51/pseuds/Hobgoblin51
Summary: In the NobleBrightness of the 31st Millennium, the Great Crusade has come to a triumphant end.The Emperor, Master of Mankind, works tirelessly on his Webway Project, as his sons, The Primarchs, their Space Marine Legions continue to defend and expand humanity's domain. Now that the time of war is dying down, the Astartes find themselves having new opportunities to interact with the people they have to long protected.One such example of these interactions takes place with the Reader, a female Remembrancer tasked with documenting the tales of battle and glory from the Legions and the bonds shared between them.Our first example takes place between the Reader and a Dark Angel. As this is an AU where the Horus Heresy never happened and everyone is still loyal, there are a few things to take note of. The Lion didn't abandon Luther and all the Dark Angels on Caliban and the two both made amends for their past grievances. The Dark Angels are still The Emperor's secret keepers, but like their father, are learning to trust beyond their own inner circles. They're still pretty grouchy and secretive, but they aren't paranoid like their canon 40K counterparts.
Relationships: Space Marine Legions/Female Remembrancer Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Dark Angel

A – Affection (How Affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)  
People don’t believe you, but D.A has his moments. Around his brothers and ESPECIALLY around his Primarch, he doesn’t show any affection. In private though, some of that “knightly valor” really shows. Small little gestures to make you feel special and that special little smirk he gives when he calls you, “My Lady” like you’re both in a knight’s fairy-tale. 

B – Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)  
As a friend, D.A is solid. Sure, he’s socially awkward, obviously keeps secrets and can be grouchy, but when he promises you something, he means it. An oath from D.A is worth more than gold. You two were colleagues but became friends when you accidentally learned of a Legion secret going through the archives and, instead of blabbing to everyone, you not only brought the leak to his attention, but you also even suggested to having it scrubbed from your mind. This level of loyalty warmed both of his hearts and taught him it was okay to trust outside the legion. 

C – Cuddles (Do they like cuddles? How would they cuddle?)  
He is warming up to cuddles. He’s a protector, so he prefers cuddles where you rest on his lap while he watches over you. 

D – Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)  
One day. He’d like to retire from combat and train the new legionnaires. Kind of like an old knight teaching the new guys and have time to settle down with you. He’s good at cleaning and alright at cooking. You both agree your food tastes better.

E – Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)  
If he had to, he would tell you, up front. It would hurt, but part of being a D.A is being able to make the hard choices. Though deep down, he would mourn losing that one part outside the Legion he could trust.

F – Fiancé (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)  
He IS commitment. He would swear, by the honor of the First Legion to stay by your side and you know nothing could ever make him break that oath.

G – Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and mentally?)  
He’s very gentle with you. Which freaks everyone else out, because this guy is part of the Legion known at The Emperor’s exterminators. He knows his own strength and treats you delicately. Mentally, he’s strong, but has trust issues that you still need to iron out. He’s promising to work it out with you and he’s making progress. 

H – Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they want it? What are they’re hugs like?)  
The first time you hugged him, he froze with no idea how to reciprocate because he was so stern. He’s actually grown quite fond of these “hugs” as you call them. When he hugs you, it’s usually to say “Thanks for trusting me” or to make you feel safe. Again, please just don’t do it in front of his brothers. 

I – I Love You (How fast do they say the L-Word?)  
He will drop the L-Bombs when it’s just you two and he can let his guard down a little, often addressing you as, “My Love.” 

J – Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they are jealous?)  
Jealousy isn’t something he really factors in. He’s pretty confident in his bond with you. He is overprotective though. For example, you were trying to get a testament from a Titan Princeps, and he started to get confrontational, calling you “lowly menial” and other such things. D.A started to slowly unsheathe his sword and then the Princeps miraculously became a more polite interviewee. You chided him a little, but he said he wasn’t going to actually use the sword. You have your doubts if he’s being honest about that. 

K – Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)  
Long and gentle, both lips meeting. Something that let’s you know he loves you and he wants you to know it. He’ll usually give you a kiss before he has to go do Legion stuff, just so you don’t have to worry.  
L – Little Ones (How are they around children?)  
As he is around most humans who aren’t you, he’s quite distant. Not mean but not exactly friendly. You have convinced him to try smiling to appear more approachable. This as led to mixed results, as a hooded 8ft tall killing machine smiling can be quite scary to children. He’s getting better though. 

M – Mornings (How are mornings spent with them?)  
He’s first up and you often wake up alone. You’re alright with this because you understand how important his duties are. And he does make sure your comfortable before going of with his brothers. 

N – Nights (How are nights spent with them?)  
The nights are for you two. He can leave the Legion life and the expectations that come with it behind for a while and settle down. The two of you usually read some books and trade casual conversation before calling it quits and getting some sleep, you being the little spoon of course.

O – Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)  
It wasn’t easy. At first it was, “You are quite competent.” Then it was, “Your company is appreciated.” After that, “Hello friend.” By meeting number twenty-one, he started opening up about himself. Now, you’re the only one he feels he could talk to seriously outside the Legion. That trust honestly makes you feel really damn important. 

P – Patience (How easily angered are they?)  
He’s got a pretty good grip on his anger. He’ll let it out in small healthy doses if he’s just trying to diffuse a situation or get a point across. You can tell he could be terrifying if he completely loses his cool and you let him know you’re proud that he can keep that rage in check. 

Q – Quizzes (How much do they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)  
He’s got a good memory of your interests and likes and dislikes. What he doesn’t remember is appropriate social ques and will sometimes bring up some embarrassing little interests or hobbies he doesn’t understand most humans like to keep private. You’re beginning to think he does some of this on purpose to fluster you as payback for laughing at his smile scaring children. He assures you he’d never be so petty. You can’t help but notice a little grin when he says that.

R – Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)  
The day you two took a stroll through the Old Forest of Caliban. It’s actually quite a nice place since Lionel Johnson cut the Warp Predator population down. There’s a sort of savage beauty to the place and when you stroll through those old woods with a literal knight and shining armour, the two of you can’t help but get lost in the fairy-tale fantasy. 

S – Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)  
They are very protective. This is to a fault sometimes. He’ll usually just have to narrow his eyes and stare menacingly at anyone giving you crap and they’ll back off quickly. On his end, all he needs to be protected is for you to keep proving him right to trust you. Keeping secrets and stuff like that. Other than that, he doesn’t feel like he needs protecting.

T – Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)  
Dates and gifts between you two are usually simple and special. Nothing extravagant or gaudy. Usually, it will be something only you two would get, like hanging out by a special spot in the forest.

U – Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)  
Secrets. Lots and lots of them. This isn’t usually so bad, but you just know that there’s so much he isn’t telling you. The worst cases are, when something is clearly bothering him, and he can’t tell you because of the Dark Angel’s vows of secrecy. You don’t fight, but he kind of shuts you out at times like that and it’s frustrating. He promises that you really don’t want to know what he’s keeping quiet about and, despite that that’s probably true, you hate seeing it eat him up like that.

V – Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)  
He’s presentable but he never goes for anything too gaudy. He’s really nailed down the rugged handsome type without even trying. 

W – Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)  
Pretty much. You are the first person he’s had outside his brothers that he can place his trust into. If he lost you, he probably wouldn’t be able to go out into civilian life again too quickly. 

X – Xtra (A random headcannon for them)  
You really liked the little wings he has on his helmet, so you made some of your own for your Remembrancer’s cap. At first, he was worried his brothers would be mad and think you were mocking their honour. Now though, he really likes the effort you put into honoring the Legion in your own way.

Y – Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)  
Dishonesty. It’s why he usually hates having to interact in civilian life with lords and overseers constantly playing politics and backstabbing for power. The lack of integrity and honor disgust him to the point he’d rather be knee deep in Orks than dealing with such cretins.

Z – Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)  
Quite fitting for a son of The Lion, but he purrs in his sleep. He refuses to believe he does this even when you’ve shown it to him on recordings. Needless to say, this is another one of those secrets you keep between you two XD


	2. Emperor's Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our second Chapter looks at the relationship between the Reader and one Emperor's Children. 
> 
> In this timeline, Fulgrim yeeted that Chaos Sword the moment it started whispering to him and never fell to Chaos. He also took an active effort in stopping his sons from falling to degeneracy, rooting out those who would taint the Third Legion's name with such practices and stomping it out. 
> 
> On another note, Fabius is still sane and managed to cure the Plague that was killing his brothers.
> 
> In this day and age, The Emperor's Children are held as paragons of beauty and artistry. They are The Emperor's most cherished Legion. A Remembrancer landing a position in their Legion is considered nothing short of a high honor.

A – Affection (How Affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)  
Very affectionate. E.C. takes any and every opportunity to flatter, tease and comfort you. Part of it is because he’s so dramatic and can’t resist showing his affection in a grand display, but mostly, it’s because he believes you are a rare treasure and deserve to be treated as such.

B – Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)  
E.C. as a friend is the life of any party he shows up to and the kind of guy that would help you out of your comfort zone, both because he believes you should always try to reach your true potential and just for kicks. He’s a talker, so he’s great at conversation (even if he could afford to be a little quieter now and then.) You were friends right from the start of your assignment to document the Third Legion’s history. What made your bond special was that you saw through the bravado. Where everyone else saw a braggart, you saw a man who worked hard for his Primarch and his Legion. His boasts were born of genuine joy, not narcissism. And that understanding and not just writing him off as a “Pretty boy show boater”, made him feel safe enough to talk about some more personal things. To trust you with his human side and not just the perfect marine he wants to be seen as.

C – Cuddles (Do they like cuddles? How would they cuddle?)  
Cuddles for days, man. He loves cuddling when you two just talk. Nice long conversations about anything really. 

D – Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)  
He’s proud to be a Space Marine, but his Primarch taught him to excel in all areas and the idea of retiring to civilian life with someone as amazing as you is everything he wanted from the Great Crusade. He is ready to leave the art of the battlefield behind for a fresh canvas. And as for cooking and cleaning, he will ensure your hab-block looks like a palace and your dinner a banquet, every time. Perfection in all areas! 

E – Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)  
Though it would be sad, E.C. would probably through a party to celebrate everything you went through together. He’d miss the relationship, but he’d make the utmost effort to still be friends. 

F – Fiancé (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)  
He is so ready to settle down with you. The only thing stopping him is, he is still planning the absolute PERFECT proposal. He wants the day he declares his love for you to be so special it will stay with you forever. 

G – Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and mentally?)  
So gentle. He treats you so carefully and with such fondness that sometimes it’s hard to believe he’s a dangerous superhuman warrior. Mentally on the other hand, while he’s got amazing social skills, he has an underlying fear of not being enough. Naturally, you can tell when he’s letting his own high standards eat away at him and he’s always grateful for stopping him from being such a worry-wort. 

H – Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they want it? What are they’re hugs like?)  
Yes! E.C. uses every opportunity he can to hug you. His favorites include surprise hugs to greet you, hugging you in the middle of getting spark of artistic inspiration to celebrate and hugging to let you know you are important to him. The dude loves to hug. 

I – I Love You (How fast do they say the L-Word?)  
As soon as you two realized you had something together. He’ll drop L-Bombs like Basilisk’s drop artillery shells. 

J – Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they are jealous?)  
Outwardly, he pretends he’s above such things. Of course, you can tell there are times he gets annoyed by others seeking your attention. You tease him with this and he’ll usual say something along the lines of “Me? Jealous? Pfft, hardly.” You chuckle because you know he’s totally having an internal melodramatic tantrum in his mind. It burns out quick though, so it’s never anything serious. 

K – Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)  
Deep and passionate. The both of you love getting lost in each other, like you’re in one of those teen holovids you two certainly haven’t been binging on your off hours.

L – Little Ones (How are they around children?)  
Fantastic. Children are so creative and it’s honestly really sweet to see him encouraging children to overcome shyness and embrace their talents. And you can’t help but smile at him getting a kick out of them fawning over him like he’s some kind of superhero from an ancient Terran fiction tome. 

M – Mornings (How are mornings spent with them?)  
Mornings start with you two enjoying the warmth of the bed and each other’s company for that sacred “five more minutes” after the alarm goes off. Then it’s into the morning routine which he has rehearsed flawlessly to get the best possible start to a new day.

N – Nights (How are nights spent with them?)  
Nights are about winding down from work. Usually getting comfy in bed, totally not watching an episode of that aforementioned romantic teen holovid drama before getting some shut eye and wishing each other pleasant dreams.

O – Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)  
He’s a chatterbox. Getting him to reveal things about himself wasn’t a problem. Though, it took a bit of time to get about him to talk about his “Less perfect” side, which he really appreciates you listening to and reminding him it’s alright to make mistakes.

P – Patience (How easily angered are they?)  
He’s got a lot of patience, built upon by decades of practice. He’s more likely to get snippy than angry and prefers scathing remarks to rage. Though it takes a lot to really tick him off.

Q – Quizzes (How much do they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)  
Oh, you’d better believe it! He has a detailed memory of all your likes and dislikes and makes a grand show of it by arranging surprises on birthdays, anniversaries etc. 

R – Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)  
The first time he arranged a surprise birthday party for you. He went all out, wanting everything to be perfect for you. Except, in all his painstaking preparation he didn’t notice he got the wrong age on the cake, a year younger than you were. You thought it was funny and he laughed along, but you noticed he slipped out of the party while you were talking with your Remembrancer pals. You caught him on his own, scolding himself for such a “Stupid mistake.” You calmed him down and told him it was alright, and it was kind of funny. You then let him know, that it’s not about the perfect result, it’s about trying your best, which he always does. And it’s why you love him so much. He felt a lot better after your talk and the two of you enjoyed the party. 

S – Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)  
He let’s you have your space most of the time and his idea of protection is more, “Making sure her Remembrancer reports are spectacular!”, by helping in any way he can, instead of threatening anyone. As for you protecting him, you just need to remind him to calm down when he starts stressing out about, “That painting being slightly ajar” after he’s straightened it for the 300th time. 

T – Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)  
How much effort? All of it. There have been wars waged on a planetary scale that didn’t require the amount of effort this man puts into…well, anything he does. He is a perfectionist and that goes double when he wants to make you feel special. 

U – Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)  
Anyone looking from the outside would think you’re putting up with a complete poser. But that’s not it at all. He has a really bad habit of trying so hard and never believing it’s good enough. And sure, he’ll tell you he doesn’t care what people think but you know that he so desperately wants people love what he makes and not think it’s just a pretty boy showing off. They say we’re our own worst critic and it goes tenfold for E.C.

V – Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)  
Very. He’s damn proud of how good he looks (and honestly, you can’t blame him) and isn’t afraid to let the whole Imperium know what a privilege it is to behold such wonders of Genecraft. 

W – Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)  
Yes. You aren’t just an adorable Remembrancer, you’re his friend. And that means a lot when you’re surrounded by hangers-on that just surround you because you’re from The Emperor’s most cherished Legion and people who scoff saying you’re just a pretty face. You’re the only one that knows E.C. for who he really is, flaws and all. And, he’d really miss having that in his life. 

X – Xtra (A random headcannon for them)  
He may be all prim and proper by day. At night though, he’s a full-on Rockerboy, going by the Alias, “Noise Marine!” (Yes, the exclamation mark is part of the name.) He’s a big hit with the Lower-Hive crowds and you always manage to get a front-row seat to his shows. He keeps this a secret, just between you and himself, as it’s probably not proper conduct for the Third Legion. (Fulgrim totally knows what you two are doing though and he thinks it’s adorable.)

Y – Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)  
Slobbery. He understands not everyone can have the same drive he does but seeing anyone just lounge about all day and make a Grox-stay of their home is appalling. And for the love of The Emperor, do not disrespect or worse, vandalize art in his presence. His fury will but the 12th to shame.

Z – Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)  
He strokes your hair in his sleep. Since it’s relaxing for both of you, you’ve never bothered to stop him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Sorry. 
> 
> For real though, so sorry about the delay. Life tends to just knock whatever plans you have off the table, eh? 
> 
> But, I'm back now and gonna try harder to stay put. For those of you kind enough to have left Kudos and Bookmarked this work, I just want to say thank you, because while I believe people should make fanfics for their own enjoyment first and foremost, it's always nice to see people taking an interest and it provides that little extra motivation to push on.
> 
> Now, since by now you've probably guessed we're going from first to last Legion number wise, obviously excluding 2nd and 11th for...reasons...that means our next tale will be about the Iron Warriors. 
> 
> Hope you guys have fun reading.
> 
> Rock on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our third Chapter looks at the relationship between the Reader and one Iron Warrior.
> 
> In this timeline, Perturabo decided to learn more from his sister and became, while a bit of a hardass, the good-hearted architect and scholar he was meant to be. He didn't decimate his Legion upon meeting them or use them as cannon fodder. Instead, he give them a sense of pride and purpose. Instead of believing he was being shunned, he taught his sons to feel proud that they were doing the hard jobs only THEY could do. The feud with the Fists is also more of a slagging match at worst and good ol brotherly boasting at best.
> 
> Furthermore, even though they still did the roughest jobs, The Emperor regularly congratulated Perturabo and didn't overlook his accomplishments.
> 
> In this day and age, The Iron Warriors, and their sacrifices, are just starting to be fully understood by the civilians they fought for. While most Remembrancers are eager to reports on the glories of the "Shining Legions" our plucky Remembrancer believes there's plenty of glory behind the grit in the 4th Legion, in both their stories and the men who tell them.

A – Affection (How Affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)  
Not very. Not for lack of wanting to be, but more so because he just doesn’t get emotions. When he wants to show it, or at least when he feels brave enough to, he does something physical like hold hands or hug. You understand and appreciate just how big of a deal it is for him to let someone touch him and when you let him know, he feels more comfortable each time he shows his affection.

B – Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)  
He’d be a pretty distant friend. He doesn’t do that whole, “Hey let’s head down to the bar for some Lho sticks and Amasec.” He’s kind of an introvert and is comfortable alone most of the time. That’s not to say he’s a bad friend. His word is Iron and he’s super reliable. If he says he’d gonna do something, he does it. And he’s really good with machines and he actually likes it when you ask him for help. It makes him feel useful.

C – Cuddles (Do they like cuddles? How would they cuddle?)  
Only if he knows they’re coming. He doesn’t like it when someone sneaks up on him and just touches him. It sets him off something awful. If you let him know and ask for his approval, he’ll let you in. Give him enough time and someday, he’ll trust you enough without having to ask. 

D – Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)  
He wants to leave the Crusade behind. He’s seen the worst of it. He just doesn’t know if there’s a place in this new Galaxy for him. You do your best to let him know there is such a place. And it can be by your side. Something he wants dearly. As for cooking and cleaning, he’s not the best. He’s used to eating nutrient paste and keeping his quarters by combat standards. You don’t mind, you both agree your cooking is way better and you always light up seeing him look pleased to eat real food for once. 

E – Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)  
He would do it as painlessly as possible. But he wouldn’t be sad. Because relationship or no, you were the first person outside the 4th and his Primarch that made him feel like a person and not a cog in a machine. And no matter what, he will treasure that. 

F – Fiancé (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)  
Commitment as an idea is something he wants. Problem is, he feels like he’s “Too much of a burden”, for anyone “normal” to have around. You’ve told him that’s a load of crap and he’d be amazing to have around. He really like’s your Moxy when you dissuade his more negative train of thought. As for how quick, the moment he truly believes doing so would be because he wants the both of you to be happy and not because he thinks it would just be him “burdening” someone.

G – Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and mentally?)  
“Gentle” isn’t a word that goes with Iron Warriors. Physically, you’ve learned not to touch him without his permission, because, between so many injuries from the worst warzones imaginable and his dislike of people invading his space, it’s not something he’s to thrilled to be doing. And mentally…this man has seen horrible things. You don’t let that bother you though. You never look at him like he’s this broken thing. And you always remind him how strong he is to come back from all of that. When he does get physical, he’s always so gentle. Both because it’s taking time to get used to this touching business you mortals are so into, and because he never, ever wants to hurt you. 

H – Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they want it? What are they’re hugs like?)  
No. It’s not you or anyone really. He has vowed to work on it though and that’s enough for now. 

I – I Love You (How fast do they say the L-Word?)  
He has said it once. On that day, you saw a Space Marine cry, because it was that day, he started to believe this wasn’t him “Being weak” and relying on someone else. He believed what the two of you had was real and it made him so happy to believe that.

J – Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they are jealous?)  
He doesn’t get jealous, largely because he has such a low opinion of himself. He sometimes says how you could do better than a “broken Astartes.” You’ve told him that’s crap and he knows it. Again, he usually picks himself up when his favorite Remembrancer stops him from “Stinkin Thinkin.” 

K – Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)  
Brief and soft. That’s the physical contact avoidance at work again. Although, there was that one time you saw him getting praised from a colony he liberated from Witches with his Legion and he was surprised and happy to get recognition, and you couldn’t help but just wrap your arms around and kiss him for a long time. You were about to apologize for catching him off guard when you realized, to your joy, he was so happy in that moment, he didn’t even mind the surprise.

L – Little Ones (How are they around children?)  
He doesn’t want to be around children. He knows he scares them because of how he looks and sometimes, when the trauma from the war kicks in…he just doesn’t want to be near kids when he’s at his worst. However, you’ve seen him go around the Lower Hives at night, repairing generators and fixing water filters for kids the Adimisrtatum “overlooks” in poorer neighborhoods and there’s been rumors' of “The Iron Giant” who leaves clockwork toys to kids who don’t have many Thrones to spend on luxuries. He never once asks for thanks, because are true Iron Warrior does something because it’s important, not for praise. 

M – Mornings (How are mornings spent with them?)  
Mornings begin with you two having some small-talk over a cup of recaff. He’s come to enjoy this little ritual and he’s starting to open up a little more. He’s even started making jokes. Their terrible and you love them. 

N – Nights (How are nights spent with them?)  
Nights are…challenging. He has nightmares. The Apothecaries can only do so much hypnotherapy, but some nights, he starts calling out for Battle Brothers he couldn’t save. You hug him and tell him he’s safe with you and he never has to feel bad about waking you up. Lately, he’s been sleeping better, so you’re starting to make progress. 

O – Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)  
At the start of your time recording his story, you could tell he didn’t seem to care. By meeting for, you dropped the civility and asked him why he didn’t take you seriously. At first, he was annoyed by your impertinence, but you won him over with sheer determination. Something I.W. always appreciates. He told you, he knew you were just going to forget or downplay everything he said, like all the other Remembrancers his father and brothers talked to. That you’d rather talk to the “Shining” Legions, like the Fists or the Luna Wolves. You then told him that you took this assignment, because you felt there were stories here the Imperium needed to hear. How you believed the Iron Warriors sacrificed so much so the Imperium everyone enjoys today and yet they never get the respect they deserve, and you wanted to change that. Seeing you genuinely appreciated and wanted his Legion to be honored, he started giving you REAL information. And since that day, he’s never regretted trusting you with his Legion’s deeds, because you’ll never give him a reason to regret it. 

P – Patience (How easily angered are they?)  
Although quiet and reserved, sometimes he can get set off, either from someone invading his personal space or worse, talking crap about his Legion. For the former, he’ll usually yell at someone until they back off. For the latter…you’ve had to stop him turning some loudmouth into paste more than once. For his sake, not theirs. 

Q – Quizzes (How much do they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)  
He’s getting good at remembering more about you. It’s not that he’s ignoring you. Some days, his mind is still on some battlefield he left decades ago, and he can forget he’s in a civilian setting. He never forgets how to make your recaff just the way you like it though and that’s certainly a plus. 

R – Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)  
His favorite moment was the day you published your record on the Iron Warriors. It was more than he could have ever hoped for. You didn’t bury them in obscurity, and you didn’t leave out the horrors they endured. He looked around the crowd and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. The didn’t pity his Legion, they were grateful. His brothers were dumbfounded, his Primarch amazed. One mortal who took the time to listen to them finally showed the world just how much they owed the 4th for this era of peace they enjoyed. Every moment of trust he showed you have been repaid. And on that day, he hugged YOU without warning. And that was worth more than the laurels you received for the report, seeing him that happy. (You even made the Lord of Iron SMILE. It was kind of scary.)

S – Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)   
He’s spent so much time being a destroyer that he really enjoyed being a protector. Since being decommissioned, he left garrison duty to be your security while you record battles from conflicts in the fringe systems. He handles it brilliantly since these skirmishes pale in comparison to what he fought in the Great Crusade. 

T – Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)  
You’ve really learned just how wrong those claims that the Iron Warriors were “Unimaginative” from your colleagues were. He’s taken to making little mechanical knickknacks and figures, now that he doesn’t have to spend his whole life shooting at people, and they make delightful presents. 

U – Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)  
Pessimism. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s seen the worst of the Great Crusade, or that his Legion got overlooked or maybe it’s just that old Iron Warrior disposition, but he tends to be quite dour. His highest level of optimism will usually be expressed by phrases like, “Maybe this won’t be too terrible.” You understand its hard to be walking on sunshine after the things he’s seen and done. You treasure every time he manages to take a “glass half full” approach. 

V – Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)  
Not at all. He’s got rad burns, scars, chem grafts and other wounds from the Crusade. Not that he cared for things like superficial beauty. He’s a true son of the 4th Legion. “If it works, it works, who gives a Feth if it’s not pretty?” 

W – Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)  
Yes. His Father and his Brothers give him stability. But you…you give him hope. That everything he and his Legion suffered for mattered. That there are good people in the Galaxy that needed protecting. You’re a bright spot in this harsh Galaxy. 

X – Xtra (A random headcannon for them)  
He’s built a small mechanical bird robot that resembles a non-Chaotic version of Heldrake. He’s been using it as a sort of emotional support pet. You think it’s lovely and it seems to like you as well. It’s had a bit of a habit of stowing away on your Remembrancer missions, much to the dismay of your superiors who don’t like the “Squawking metal beast!” 

Y – Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)  
People who look down on the underdogs. For the longest time, the 4th got the worst jobs with the least spotlight. He’s learned to relate to the “unwashed masses” who work in obscurity to keep the Imperium going. He’s not one to hide his feelings towards any pretty nobles who mock them (getting told off by an Iron Warrior is about as terrifying as an Ork Warboss charging straight at you.)

Z – Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)  
Perturabo created a variant those data-cables he uses for his sons. Instead of tactical information, it’s sort of like the Arco-Flagellant’s Pacifier Helmet, that directs the brain to think away from trauma and prompts it to heal. Eager to help him and as a sign of trust, you help him attach the cables before you go to bed, so you can both have a peaceful night’s sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy there. 
> 
> I'm happy to see people are enjoying these little stories and I wanted to thank everyone who's bookmarked, commented and left kudos. You guys are awesome. 
> 
> Next Chapter will focus on focus on the White Scars. 
> 
> Rock on.

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy there.
> 
> I wanted to get back into fanfic writing after a quite an absence, but I wanted to start out on something small. I saw a few SFW Alphabets and thought they were kind of sweet. So I decided give this a shot to help me get back into writing and because I find the idea of Space Marines semi-retiring and settling down to be a fun idea.
> 
> I will try to post two Space Marines a week until I've reached the last Legion. I will also explain the canon divergences in this NobleBright AU to provide context. 
> 
> I hope you have fun reading it and I'd honestly recommend this little format for anyone that wants to work up some confidence in writing. 
> 
> Rock on.


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